


Dirty Laundry

by empress_ofbloodshed



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29662275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empress_ofbloodshed/pseuds/empress_ofbloodshed
Summary: this has been sitting around in my drafts for months but i decided to dust it off and finish it :) i think we could all use some elorcan in our lives right now also please don’t judge the gif i just think it’s cute
Relationships: Elide Lochan/Lorcan Salvaterre
Kudos: 4





	Dirty Laundry

**Author's Note:**

> this has been sitting around in my drafts for months but i decided to dust it off and finish it :) i think we could all use some elorcan in our lives right now also please don’t judge the gif i just think it’s cute

Lorcan and his next-door neighbor had an agreement. She used his washing machine and dryer in exchange for baked goods and walking Koko when he had to work late or was called in out of the blue. It worked out well for both of them.

Picking up his clothing strewn across his bedroom floor, Lorcan shoved it all in the washer and turned it on before heading for the shower. Elide had used her key to come in last night while he was out with Rowan and the others at the bar to wash her clothes. Lorcan had stumbled in late, lip-locked with a brunette who was nice on the eyes. He barely remembered her name now, only that the sex had been mediocre. The girl vanished before he woke up.

Thank Hellas for small miracles.

Wringing out his hair, he stepped out of the shower and slung a towel around his waist. Padding to the washer in the other room, he threw his scrubs and other clothes in the dryer. There were just over three hours until he was supposed to clock in. That meant plenty of time for him to take Koko on a walk and stop for breakfast at the little coffee shop down the road.

Lorcan spent the extra half-hour blow drying his hair, just because he could. And because his hair took a minimum of four hours to dry. And he didn’t want another freaked out kitten climbing him like a tree and getting its claws caught in his hair while it was supposed to be given shots. Once it was finally dry and silky soft, he braided it back in a messy French braid. There, problem solved.

Koko jumped up from his bed the second Lorcan reached for the leash. He was a massive pitbull with inky black fur and had the biggest heart out of all the animals that came through the clinic. On the streets, most people crossed to the other side if they could, and if they couldn’t, they just gave them a wide berth. The combination of six-foot-seven Lorcan and Koko was just too intimidating.

“Wanna go on a walk, Ko?” Lorcan grinned, rubbing his ears. Koko sat obediently, allowing Lorcan to clip the leash to his collar and open the door before yanking him down the hall toward the stairs. His pitbull didn’t like the elevator, so stairs it was.

The morning was warm and sunny, promising good things for the day ahead. Lorcan checked the weather forecast on his phone while Ko pissed on the third fire hydrant in the past five minutes. It was supposed to storm later in the evening but he didn’t mind. Night storms were relaxing.

Dresenda welcomed Lorcan into the coffee shop with a warm smile, hugging him tight. Her sister Essar was the vet for the clinic he worked at and the three of them had been friends for years. She disappeared behind the counter, returning with a treat for Koko.

Lorcan shook his head. “D, you spoil him,” he grumbled half-heartedly.

Her laugh was bright as she made Koko do a trick for his second treat. “Yes, but he’s such a good boy. Who’s a good boy? Yea, Ko. You are.” Koko’s tongue lolled out of his mouth and he grinned his doggy grin.

Lorcan cleared his throat. “Hey, paying customer here.”

Dresenda raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “You don’t pay here, you just run up an endless tab and my sister tells me you’ll pay eventually.”

“Alright, guilty. Now, can I get a coffee and an order of Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream? Please?”

She harumphed but brought him his food, making sure to get back at him by playing with Koko and trying in vain to teach him new tricks until another customer came in. Lorcan left a twenty on the counter, flipping Dresenda off behind his back as he left. Koko curled up in his bed, thumping his tail on the floor as Lorcan turned on some Led Zeppelin and went to get ready for work.

Today’s scrubsーstill warm out of the dryerーwere black pants and a lilac shirt overtop of a white baseball tee. He would fold his clothes when he got home later.

*** * ***

Lorcan unlocked the door to his apartment and threw his keys in the bowl on the table. Undoing his hair, he dragged his fingers through the dark locks while padding to his bedroom to change into sweats. He barely glanced at the post-it on his kitchen counter. But he knew it was from his neighbor and would say that she took Koko out and fed him.

A small glass container with homemade brownies sat beneath the note. Biting into one, Lorcan moaned.

“Ugh, Ko, I could marry this girl,” he mumbled through a mouthful of chocolatey goodness. His pitbull thumped his tail on the ground, waiting for Lorcan to pat the couch so he could sit with him. “Hold on two more seconds. Then you can sit with me, ‘k boy?” Koko whined, laying his head on his paws.

Lorcan shook his head, dumping his clothes into a basket and flopping down on the couch. Opening Netflix, he settled for some of the Great British Baking show, even though he knew it would make him hungry. Koko whimpered and Lorcan patted the couch, his breath leaving his lungs in a huff as his little monster headbutted his chest, laying down so his head was in his owner’s lap.

Reaching for the last piece of clothing, Lorcan groaned. He was almost done; then he could sleep in as long as he wanted tomorrow morning because he didn’t have to work.

A lacy black thong danged from his fingertips and he choked on the air he was breathing. He remembered just enough from last night that the girl had been wearing yellow, not black. So this must have been Elide’s.

“Fuck,” he swore, trying desperately not to let his mind wander. They were friends, nothing more. Okay fine. Friends who acted more like they were dating, but whatever.

Standing, he told Koko to stay and headed for the door. The low mournful wail of a cello slipped from underneath Elide’s door into the hall as Lorcan stood there. He told himself he was being an idiot and pounded on the door.

Elide yanked it open, her bow in hand and hair in a messy bun. She was dressed in a matching pajama set monogrammed with her initials. It was cute. In a little kid kinda way. Lorcan leaned against her doorway, noticing the way her eyes darted downward and then back up to his face. He wasn’t wearing a shirt because he hadn’t intended on going anywhere but to bed after he got home.

Holding up his hand, he opened his fist and said lacy little underthing dangled from his fingertips. “You forgot this yesterday,” he drawled, trying not to smirk as her cheeks flooded with color.

Aelin stood in Elide’s apartment, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth as she stared. “Elide Lochan! You little hussy! Why didn’t you tell me you were fucking Lorcan?” she squawked. Striding over to Elide, she whisper-shouted, “I told you about sleeping with your neighbor. I deliberately said not to pull a me with Chaol. Girl, Iー”

“Thanks. Good night.” Elide slammed the door in Lorcan’s face after yanking it from his fingers and he could hear a muffled argument as he walked away.

Koko lifted his head when Lorcan walked back into his apartment. The show still played on the flatscreen and he didn’t bother to turn it off as he rooted through his fridge for something to eat. Settling for leftover homemade pasta alfredo, he popped it in the microwave and hummed as he waited.

After he ate, he took Koko out to relieve himself in the yard in front of his apartment building, making sure to throw a shirt on. Then he scooped some kibble into the metal bowl and faceplanted on his bed, asleep in moments

* * *

Elide rooted through her clean clothing looking for the one pair of panties she wanted. They were her might-have-sex ones. Her date with the cute guy she swiped right on was in less than an hour and she still wasn’t dressed. Giving up, she chose another pair and shimmied her way into her black PVC leggings that made her ass look amazing.

 _Anneith save me,_ she prayed as she sat across from him. He talked and talked about himself, never giving her a chance to speak. Every time she managed to say something, he turned the one-sided conversation back to him and his accomplishments.

Excusing herself to go to the bathroom, Elide texted Aelin that she needed a bail and quickly. Less than five minutes, her phone rang with a call from Aelin saying that Elide’s cat was sick. She didn’t have a cat, but it did the trick.

Her friend waited at her door with takeaway Thai and a bottle of wine. “Shitty date?” she chuckled, following Elide into her apartment.

“The worst,” Elide agreed. She sighed happily as she changed into her pajamas and wiped off the evening’s makeup. Kissing Aelin’s cheek, she poured herself a glass of wine. “You, darling, are an absolute lifesaver.”

Aelin grinned wolfishly. “Don’t overinflate my massive ego, Elide. But yes, do keep going.”

They ate and drank and complained about bad dates, shitty exes, and the worst sex they’d ever had. Elide choked on her mouthful of noodles when Aelin said so casually that the first time she and Chaol had sex he asked her if they were done yet after he came. One bottle of wine turned into two and Elide pulled out her cello. She hadn’t played classically in a while, but the mournful tune practically flowed from her fingertips, even without sheet music.

Someone pounded on her front door and Elide laid her cello down on its side, unlocking the door and pulling it open. Her very shirtless neighbor leaned against her doorway and she swallowed. Lorcan was very easy on the eyes, with warm terracotta skin and swirling black ink that practically begged to be touched. His sweatpants hung low on his hips, exposing the vee of his muscled torso.

Holding up his hand, Lorcan opened his fist and the black thong she had been looking frantically around for earlier dangled from his fingertips. “You forgot this yesterday,” he drawled. His lips twitched as he tried not to smirk.

Elide’s cheeks flooded with heat. Of course she managed to leave it in his dryer.

“Elide Lochan! You little hussy! Why didn’t you tell me you were fucking Lorcan Salvaterre?” Aelin squawked. Striding over to Elide, she whisper-shouted, “I told you about sleeping with your neighbor. I deliberately said not to pull a me with Chaol. Girl, Iー”

“Thanks. Good night.” Elide yanked her underwear from his hand and slammed the door in Lorcan’s face, turning to Aelin. “I didn’t sleep with Lorcan! He lets me uses his washer and dryer because I don’t have one and I guess I left it in the dryer yesterday.”

Aelin’s turquoise eyes narrowed in skepticism. Her hum was sassy. “Mmhmm, honey don’t lie to me we both know you want to.” Elide pushed past her friend, trying to hide her blush. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. Not that she would ever tell Aelin. Those two had almost started a bar fight over something stupid a few months ago and now they hated each other. “No. Don’t tell me you want to _date_ him. Oh gods, El, this is a tragedy.” Aelin continued bemoaning Elide’s choice in men but she tuned her friend out.

Lorcan Salvaterre had been nothing but kind to Elide. And his dog was an added bonus. Koko was too cute, even if he could crush Elide when he laid on her. Plus he worked at a veterinary clinic. Wearing lilac scrubs with his hair braided. What girl wouldn’t find that attractive?

Once, Koko got stung by a wasp on a walk so she took him to the clinic. Lorcan held an armful of kittens and sat on the floor playing with them when she walked in, although they were quickly transferred to another vet tech so he could see to his dog. Big scary Lorcan holding squirming kittens? Elide loved it.

“Elide. Are you, ya know, gonna go get your boyfriend? Helloooo?” Aelin poked Elide’s nose, jolting her back to reality. Wow, Aelin really changed her anti-Salvaterre speech quick. “Gods, girl. Must I do everything for you?” She took Elide’s phone from her hand, scrolling until she found Lorcan’s name and tapped the button to call him. Elide jumped on her friend, fighting her for the phone before he picked up. She finally got it back and ended the call in the nick of time.

“I hate you,” Elide panted.

Aelin blew her a kiss. “No you don’t. You hate the fact that I’m right as always.”

“I still hate you, Ae.”

“Girl, I’ve seen you pining after him for months. Even Rowan can see it and I literally had to hit him over the head to ask him out on a date. Now you can either go get your man or stay here and sulk. Your choice.”

Elide stuck her tongue out at Aelin.

*** * ***

Elide used her key to let herself into Lorcan’s apartment with a bag of bakery sweets from Nesryn’s shop and two green teas, Koko running up to her and whining. So his owner slept in and he had to use the bathroom. Badly. That, Elide could do. Grabbing the pitbull’s leash, she attached it to his collar and set her breakfast down on his kitchen counter.

Koko yanked down the hall toward the stairwell, rushing onto the grass near a tree and lifting his leg to pee. He trotted back toward Elide happily, waiting for her to start walking down the street. One man tried to catcall her and Koko snarled; his face blanched and he hurried away with fear in his eyes.

“Good boy, Ko,” Elide whispered, ruffling the coarse fur on his head.

By the time they returned to the apartment building, Elide was starving. She hadn’t gotten the chance to eat anything before she took Koko out. And she had been craving Mr. Faliq’s malasadas all week. No matter how often she asked, the kind older man had a will of steel. The malasada recipe was a family secret. And a well-kept one at that.

Lorcan padded out from the direction of his bedroom when Elide unclipped Koko’s leash, pulling his hair up into a messy bun. His grin was sleepy and Elide’s heart fluttered in her chest.

“Mornin’ babe,” he murmured with a rough voice that made her core ache, petting Ko with one hand and reaching around Elide with the other to grab the paper bag full of sugar-dusted deep-fried dough. “You brought me malasadas? Lochan, oh praise Hellas I fuckin love you.” His groan was sinful as he took a bite.

Elide snatched the bag from his hand. “These are mine, Salvaterre. Get your paws off.”

“It’s too early for thisー”

“It’s almost noon, Lorcan.”

“ーso I will be taking two more and playing Call of Duty with Rowan. Now you may leave, thank you for walking Koko, it’s gonna get violent because Ro’s a little shit.” Lorcan guided Elide to his door, stealing two malasadas from the bag and shutting the door with a click.

Dumbfounded, Elide stared until she realized she left her keys on his counter. Her phone, too. Pounding on the door, she hissed his name. Koko barked from inside twice and Lorcan opened the door with a frown. Pushing past him, she angrily grabbed her keys, phone, and one of the green teasーwhich was cold by now.

Hands settled on her shoulders when she tried to shoulder past him to get out the door. “Hey, Lochan, what’s up?” he asked in a soft voice. “What did I say wrong, hmm? Don’t tell me those tears are because I stole some of your malasadas. I can buy you more.”

Elide just now felt the warmth dripping down her cheeks. She thought maybe he did actually like her. _I guess I was wrong,_ she thought. _He’s only using me because I’m nice to him._

“Lochan?”

“Stop!” she shouted. “Just stop! Stop trying to be nice! Stop acting like you care about me!”

“What are you talking about? Iー”

“You’re just using me to get free food and so you don’t have to pay someone to walk Koko every day while you’re at work. I should’ve seen this months ago. Gods, I’m so stupid.” Elide tried to push past him but he gently tugged everything from her hands and set it on the table, lifting her and throwing her over his shoulder. “Lorcan! Put me down! Let me go! Lorcan Salvaterre!”

He did set her down. Albeit a bit roughly and she bounced as she landed on his couch.

“What the fuck,” she hissed. “What is your deal?”

Koko jumped onto the couch, nudging Elide’s hand until she moved it so he could sprawl across her lap. Praise Anneith, he was heavy. He licked her hand, nosing it for head scratches.

Lorcan crossed his arms, glaring down at her with what she thought was annoyance or anger. Or a combination of both. “Fucking Hels, Lochan. Is that what you think? That I’ve just been using you?” he growled.

“Yes,” Elide spat. She was too far in to back out now.

Suddenly he was right in front of her, hands braced on her knees as he bent down to be at her level. “Fine. If that’s what you want hear. Yes, in the beginning, I was. Now, IーHellas below, Elide.” The anger faded and his head dropped. When he looked back up at her, the onyx of his eyes was so dark she could see herself reflected in the depths. “I care about you, I really do. I love coming home from work and seeing your little notes on containers full of whatever you decided to bake that day. I think it’s cute how when you think I’m not in the room you sing as you transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer. I like hearing you play as I walk down the hall. Hels, Lochan. What more do you want me to say?

“I want us to be more than just friends.”

Elide didn’t know how to respond. Her mouth opened then closed, no words passing from her lips.

_I want us to be more than just friends._

Lorcan’s smile was sad. “Fuck. I’m sorry. Pretend I didn’t say any of that.” He made to pull away and stand, letting go of his grip on her knees.

The lack of warmth radiating from his body was acute. Ko sensed she was about to move and jumped off, trotting over to curl up in bed bed and thumping his tail on the floor.

Elide caught his hand before it was out of her reach and yanked him down so hard he nearly fell on her, catching himself at the last second with one hand braced on her thigh and the other on the back of his couch. She crashed her lips to his, trying to fit everything she wanted to say into a kiss.

Anneith help her, she was a fucking idiot. Of course Lorcan Salvaterre would feel the same way about her. But of course she had to overthink it and get caught up in the moment and almost destroy everything between them.

Lorcan slanted his lips over hers, cupping her jaw with the hand formerly on the back of the couch. His tongue teased the seam of her lips and she opened for him willingly. He tugged her bottom lip between his teeth as he pulled back a bit. Elide looped her arms around his neck as his hands slipped under her thighs and he lifted her to reverse their positions. Now she straddled him, his hands cupping the backs of her thighs as she balanced herself on her knees to reach him.

His voice was husky and deep with a chuckle that rumbled through his chest. “Is than apology, Lochan?”

“Kiss me again and I’ll think about it,” she crooned.

This time, the kiss was slower, sweeter.

Koko barked sharply from his bed, flopping down and throwing a paw over his eyes. Elide and Lorcan laughed. Settling herself in his embrace, Elide leaned into his chest. He held her tight, kissing the crown of her head when she tilted her chin back to look at him.

“I’m glad you’re my neighbor, Lochan,” Lorcan smiled.

Elide’s reply was barely more than a whisper. “Me too.”


End file.
